Charging system for electric lamps



Oct. 7, 1941. c. G. TALBOT ET AL 2,257,866

CHARGING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC'LAMPS Filed Jan. 21, 1959 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 CHARGING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC LAMPS Cyrus G. Talbot and Adrian H. Townsend, Chicago, Ill. Application January 21, 1939, Serial No. 252,182

1 Claim. (Cl. 240'.63)

Our invention relates to portable electric lamps, and more particularly to the type which are battery-operated, and our main object is to provide a lamp of this kind with an unique and efiicient means for charging the battery.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the novel lamp that the battery does not require any special construction or attachments for charging purposes.

A still further object of the invention is to design the novel lamp with the charging receptacle and leads in the head of the lamp.

Another object of the invention is to include a novel assembly or arrangement of electrical units in the head of the lamp.

An important object of the invention is to construct the novel lamp on lines of neatness and extreme simplicity.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the lamp;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, partly in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View of the electric circuit contained in the lamp.

Portable electric lamps which are battery-operated have become popular in late years where illumination is required in places Where electric service is absent or has been interrupted, or where a handy lamp is desired for use in different places. It has been found that longer and more economical service is obtainable from such a lamp when it is operated by a storage battery, but the problem of re-charging the battery from time to time has been a difiicult and unsatisfactory one. Where the lamp battery is exposed, access to its contacts for charging is comparatively easy, but a battery so constituted is a messy thing to handle, carry or leave where articles of value or utility are present, as the acid or moisture accumulations developing from the charging operation are apt to get on the hands or clothing or even reach surrounding articles. Where a battery of the type under consideration has been encased, a special receptacle or attachment was required for the application of the charging plug, so that extra expense and new difficulties were involved. It has therefore been our intention to design a lamp assembly which does not complicate the battery or its casing in any manner, but confines the charging zone to the head of the lamp.

In accordance with the foregoing, a typical battery-operated portable lamp is indicated at ID, the head thereof being shown at H, the reflector at I2 and the lens at I3. In the present embodiment the lamp head is carried by a bracket I4 which is pivotally supported at I5 from an arched handle I6. The battery is shown at IT, and the case I8 therefor is suspended from the legs I9 of the handle I6 by fastening means 20.

The terminals of the battery are indicated at 2| and 22, a lead 23 from the terminal 2| being grounded to the battery case as indicated at 24. A lead 25 extends from the terminal 22 in a lateral direction, passing through a rubber grommet 26 on its Way out of the battery case. The leads 23 and 25 are held in contact with the respective terminals by posts 21 or other suitable means.

Primarily, the leads 23 and 25 are part of a circuit to light a center bulb 28 for the casting of a beam, or a top bulb 29 for casting diilused illumination. The bulb 28 is controlled by a switch 28a, while the bulb 29 is controlled by a switch 29a, both switches being secured in the upper part of the lamp head II.

The circuit diagram of Fig. 3 illustrates the operation of the lamp bulbs. Thus, it is seen that the lead 25 is formed with branches 30 and 3I leading to one of the terminals 32 and 33 of the switches 28a and 29a. Next, the branches 30 and 3| lead to one of the terminals of the respective bulbs, while the other terminals thereof are grounded to the lamp head II. Thus, either switch may be actuated to operate the corresponding bulb. The lighting circuit just described is advantageously designed for the inclusion of the charging feature. Thus, a charging receptacle 34 is fitted in the lamp head II so as to be grounded, the receptacle having an internal insulated terminal 35. A continuation 36 or the lead branch 30 is led to this terminal as shown in Fig. 3. This figure also shows a Iragment'of the cord 31 leading from the battery charger (not shown), the double-lead cord terminating with a plug 38 having a shell 39 as the terminal of one lead and a stem 40 as the terminal of the other. Thus, the insertion of the plug 38 in the receptacle 34 establishes a circuit between the battery charger and the battery by using the elements 35, 36, 30 and 25 to the terminal 22 of the battery, and the parts 34, II, I4, I6, I9 and 23 to the terminal 2| thereof. The bulb switches 28a and 29a are in the raised or open position when the battery is to be charged, so

that the bulbs are cut out of the charging circuit at such time.

It will be seen from the above description that we utilize the lamp head as a carrier or support for the charging receptacle 34, first, because the receptacle is easily applied or fitted; second, because it has immediate access to conductors leading to the battery terminals; third, because it can be conveniently included in the leads to the light bulbs; fourth, because it is easily accessible to the charging plug; fifth, because it is away from the zone where acid, moisture or fumes might attack it and impair its efficiency by corrosion; and sixth, because no part of the battery unit has to be changed, added to or affected by the provision of the charging feature. Further, it is apparent that this feature is not only of extreme simplicity in the new embodiment, but is so merged in the lamp assembly as to be practically invisible, casting no impression that the assembly has or requires a special unit because of its chargeable advantage.

While we have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes and refinements may be made without departing from the principle of the invention, and we desire to consider all such changes and refinements as coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claim.

We claim:

A lighting unit comprising an encased battery, an external independent lamp head at a distance therefrom, means extended from the battery case to support the lamp head, a light-bulb in the latter, a circuit to operate the light-bulb from the battery, and a charging receptacle connected to said circuit and carried by the lamp head for theapplication of a charging unit at a point dist'ant from the battery, whereby to render the recep'tacle immune to acid fumes issuing from the battery during the charging operation.

CYRUS G. TALBOT. ADRIAN H. TOWNSEND. 

